Brisbane could suit Zin Zan Eddie

BRISBANE Aug 10 2016

Veteran sprinter Zin Zan Eddie is likely to make his first interstate trip and continue Warwick Farm trainer Matthew Smith's top strike rate in Brisbane.

Smith accepted with Zin Zan Eddie in the Moet & Chandon Open Hcp (1400m) at Eagle Farm and the Spring Preview Handicap over the same distance at Rosehill on Saturday.

Smith will make a final decision on where he starts on Thursday but is leaning towards Brisbane.

Zin Zan Eddie, who had knee problems earlier in his career, loves wet tracks and his recent runs include a second in the Listed Winter Stakes and fourth in the Winter Challenge.

Premier jockey Jeff Lloyd has been booked for Zin Zan Eddie and with no further rain predicted the track will be in the good to soft range.

A $65,000 buy for a syndicate headed by prominent owner Frank Cook, Zin Zan Eddie has won seven races and will pass $500,000 in stakes if he wins on Saturday.

Smith has a soft spot for Zin Zan Eddie who he believes is well up to top class in wet conditions but struggles against them on the harder tracks.

"I have had Zin Zan Eddie since he was a yearling and he is a stable favourite," Smith said.

"He gave us a profile as a stable and he has beaten some good horses on wet tracks. He has had a few problems which is why he is relatively lightly raced for a seven-year-old.

"Zin Zan Eddie has raced very well against the better horses on softer going and he might be better suited in Brisbane.

"The 1400 metres suits him and there really isn't a lot for a horse like him once he gets up in the ratings in Sydney.

"I like the way things are set out in Brisbane and it gives us a few extra options."

Smith was most recently in Brisbane with flying filly Rebel Miss who scored an easy Doomben win, and has also won stakes race with Hurtle Myrtle (Dane Ripper Stakes) and Palazzo Pubblico (Bright Shadow Stakes).

He has high hopes for Rebel Miss who is by Krupt who Smith trained for his short-lived race career.

"I had hoped to run Rebel Miss in the Quezette Stakes in Melbourne but I wanted to give her more time to get over the Brisbane trip," Smith said.

"I worked for Bart Cummings for four years and one of the many things he taught me was to put the horse not the race first.